How to Use this Teaching Improvement Package

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
declared, “Now, at a time when our prophet is calling for more faith
through hearing the word of God, we must revitalize and
reenthrone superior teaching in the Church—at home, from the
pulpit, in our administrative meetings, and surely in the classroom.
Inspired teaching must never become a lost art in the Church, and
we must make certain our quest for it does not become a lost
tradition” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1998, 31; or Ensign, May
1998, 25).

This teaching improvement package is intended to help “revitalize
and reenthrone superior teaching” as well as unify and enhance all
Church Educational System teaching improvement efforts by
providing in-service material for those in CES who train teachers in
full-time, part-time, volunteer, or preservice settings. The materials
in this training resource are designed to help the in-service leader,
and ultimately the teachers, better understand and apply the
principles and skills taught in Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook for
CES Teachers and Leaders (1994; item 34829).

The videos contain presentations that correspond to certain lessons
in the printed training resource. The video presentations illustrate
principles of religious education and show teachers demonstrating
the teaching skills from Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook.

This manual contains lessons that provide suggested training
activities for the principles and skills found in Teaching the Gospel:
A Handbook. Following each lesson are handouts intended for
photocopying that contain quotations and learning activities from
the lessons.

The organization and content of the CES teaching improvement
package are based exclusively upon the principles and skills
discussed in Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook. Teachers will need
their own copies of the handbook, as the lessons in this manual
frequently instruct teachers to read and study it.

Another excellent resource for teachers and leaders is Teaching, No
Greater Call (1999; item 36123).

How Should This Teaching Improvement
Package Be Used?

There are generally three components of in-service training:
teaching improvement, content mastery, and administrative
business. While content mastery and administrative business are
essential, “the primary purpose of in-service training is to improve
teaching” (Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook, 18). This teaching
improvement package is designed to assist the in-service leader in
meeting this primary purpose.

The lessons in this manual are not necessarily intended to be taught
sequentially, nor is it expected that teachers will receive training in
all areas in a given year. Each lesson is designed to be completed in
sixty minutes or less, but in-service leaders may choose to
emphasize all the principles in a given lesson, select only certain
principles from a lesson, or combine principles from different
lessons. In-service leaders should prayerfully consider the needs and
abilities of teachers and adapt lessons to their time constraints and
training circumstances.

The “Planning Guide” on page 4 provides an overview of the
principles and skills emphasized in the lessons; it can be used as a
planning tool. In-service leaders should assess teachers’ needs, plan
to meet teachers’ in-service needs, and counsel with and report to
leaders when deciding what to train and how to train it.

How Is This Manual Organized?

This manual is organized into four units, fourteen sections, and
thirty-seven lessons. The unit and section names correspond with
those in Teaching the Gospel: A Handbook. Within each section arelessons and handouts that help teachers search, analyze, and apply
the material in the handbook.

In each lesson, in-service leaders may choose from suggested
training activities such as case studies, writing exercises, scripture
activities, discussions, group work, object lessons, and others. Each
activity leads teachers to search, analyze, or apply:

Activities with this icon help teachers search the handbook,
the scriptures, or other material to define a principle or skill.

Activities with this icon help teachers analyze the meaning
of the principle or skill.

Activities with this icon help teachers apply the principle
or skill.

The handouts at the end of each lesson are intended to be
photocopied by the in-service leader and distributed to teachers.

How Are the Video Presentations to Be Used?

There are two videocassettes in Teaching the Gospel Video
Presentations. The video presentations are primarily designed to be
used with the lessons found in this printed manual. The following
chart, “Video Presentations and Corresponding Lessons,” shows the
relationship.

The first video presentation, “An Orientation for the CES In-service
Leader” (3:51), is designed to be used with the introductory
material in this manual, to help orient you to the organization and
use of the teaching improvement package.